Fluid dispenser

ABSTRACT

A fluid dispenser comprises a pressurised fluid reservoir connected to one end of which is a flexible flattenable tube the other end of which forms a dispensing outlet. The tube is supported intermediate its ends by an upstream and a downstream support of a frame the section of the tube between these supports being of greater length than the spacing between these supports and being a floating section movable in a space provided by the frame. The floating section can occupy a position in which a major portion thereof extending from the upstream support is inflated by the pressurised fluid and is sealed at its downstream end by a fold in the tube and can be moved from this position by a roller movable in said space in such a way as first to form a fold near the upstream end of the free section sealing a body of fluid in the tube and then to displace the inflated section to open out the folds at the downstream end of the free section to allow the body of fluid to pass from the dispensing outlet of the tube. The roller in the final stages of its dispensing movement stretches the free section of the tube over a convex surface to expel the fluid from the tube. During return movement of the roller the free section of tube is sealed adjacent its downstream end before the tube is again inflated.

United States Patent 1 Bguin Oct. 30, 1973 FLUID DISPENSER [75] Inventor: Rene Bguin,Chene-Bougeries,

Switzerland [73] Assignee: Test Societe anonyme dEtudes techniques, Chene-Bougerus, Switzerland 22 Filed: Oct. 10, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 295,805

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 26, 1971 Switzerland 15615/71 [52] US. Cl 222/207, 222/344, 417/478, 417/479 [51] Int. Cl. B65d 37/00, GOlf 11/10 [58] Field of Search 222/207, 361, 344,

[57] ABSTRACT A fluid dispenser comprises a pressurised fluid reservoir connected to one end of which is a flexible flattenable tube the other end of which forms a dispensing outlet. The tube is supported intermediate its ends by an upstream and a downstream support of a frame the section of the tube between these supports being of greater length than the spacing between these supports and being a floating section movable in a space provided by the frame. The floating section can occupy a position in which a major portion thereof extending from the upstream support is inflated by the pressurised fluid and is sealed at its downstream end by a fold in the tube and can be moved from this position by a roller movable in said space in such a way as first to form a fold near the upstream end of the free section sealing a body of fluid in the tube and then to displace the inflated section to open out the folds at the downstream end of the free section to allow the body of fluid to pass from the dispensing outlet of the tube. The roller in the final stages of its dispensing movement stretches the free section of the tube over a convex surface to expel the fluid from the tube. During return movement of the roller the free section of tube is sealed adjacent its downstream end before the tube is again inflated.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,668,637 2/1954 Gilmore 222/207 X 2,698,703 1/1955 Harvey.... 222/207 3,182,602 5/1965 Price 417/474 X Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves Assistant ExaminerFrancis J. Bartuska Att0rneyl(urt Kelman PATENIEDBBI 30 ms 3.768.704

SHEEI 2 OF 2 FLUID DISPENSER This invention relates to a fluid dispenser of the kind comprising an elongated deformable spout or nipple or the like formed with a discharge orifice and an operating means operable to deform the spout to distribute a batch of fluid.

Fluid dispensers of this kind are known in which the operating means comprises one or more pressing rollers which flatten the spout and dispense a batch of fluid as they roll along the spout. In such dispensers the spout is therefore subject to heavy wear. Also, closure of the spout in the known apparatus is either unsatisfactory or is achieved by local compression of the spout at its upstream end, with the frequent result of accidental residual discharges which soil the apparatus.

It is an object of this invention to provide a fluid dispenser which is free from these disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a fluid dispenser comprising a source of fluid under pressure, a flexible flattenable tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, a support for said tube, means connecting the inlet end of said tube with said fluid source said support including upstream and downstream support means supporting said tube between its inlet and outlet ends, and tube being fixed by said upstream support means at a position between the inlet end thereof and the downstream support and the tube being fixed by said downstream support means at a position between the upstream support means and the outlet end of the tube, the section of said tube between the upstream and downstream support means constituting a floating section of the tube and and being of a length greater than the spacing between the upstream and downstream support means, said support defining a space between said upstream and downstream support means to accommodate movement of the floating section of the tube, and operating means operable to move the floating section of the tube between a first position in which said floating section forms a major portion inflated by the fluid from said source and extending from the upstream supporting means to a seal formed adjacent the downstream supporting means by a sharp bend in the tube causing the latter to flatten, and a second position in which said floating section forms a major portion extending from said downstream supporting means into said space without sharp bends so that its interior is in communication with said outlet end, and terminating adjacent the upstream end in a seal formed by a sharp bend in the tube causing the latter to flatten, the operating means acting during movement of said floating section of the tube from its first to its second position to bend the latter sharply to seal the tube adjacent the upstream supporting means before the portion of the floating section adjacent the downstream supporting means is unsealed and acting during movement of said floating section from its second to its first position to bend the tube sharply to seal it adjacent the downstream supporting means before the portion of the floating section adjacent the upstream supporting means is unsealed whereby a predetermined quantity of fluid is dispensed at each operation of said operating means.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a dispenser according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view of a flexible tube forming part of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3 to 7 are diagrammatic views showing various phases in the operation of the apparatus, and

FIG. 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of FIG. 1.

The apparatus shown comprises a frame 1, in the form of a rear member 2 having feet 3 for mounting on a wall, and a front member 4 releasably secured to member 2 by screws 5. The two frame members have. at the top, walls in the form of hollow hemicylinders 6, 7 bounding a cylindrical cavity receiving a flexible bag or pouch or the like 8 serving as a reservoir for a product to be dispensed. A fairly heavy sliding cover 9 bears down on the bag 8 so that the bag contents are kept pressurised. At the bottom of the bag 8 is a tubular outlet spigot 11 to which is secured the top or inlet end 12a of a deformable spout or nipple or the like in the form of a flattenable flexible tube 12 which extends generally vertically downwards from the spigot 11.

The tube 12, which is shown separately in FIG. 2, is formed by two superimposed flexible plastics sheets or the like welded together over their edge zones 13, whose internal limits are indicated by broken lines 14, a central passage or duct 15 being left clear. The plastics sheets can be e.g. thin flexible sheets of polyvinyl chloride.

A widened terminal portion 15a of passage 15 at the inlet end of the tube serves to engage the tube 12 on the spigot 11 in the manner shown in FIG. 1. The tube 12 and bag 8 are secured to the member 11 e.g. by adhesive. The passage 15 is initially closed at its outlet end at a terminal part 16 of the tube 12, the part 16 being severable by cutting along the line 16a (FIG. 2) when the apparatus is taken into use.

Top and bottom parts of the tube are received between adjacent parts of the two frame members at 23 and 24 respectively and a central floating section 25 of the tube is movable in a chamber or space 26 defined by recesses in the two frame members (FIG. 1). At 23 and 24 those parts of the two frame members 2, 4 which are near one another are formed with a central groove, so that at least the centre of the spout is unobstructed and the product to be dispensed can pass through it.

The tube 12 is pierced in its edge zones 13 with two pairs of apertures 18, 19 enabling it to be engaged on supports in the form of corresponding pin pairs 21, 22 arranged to straddle the two frame members 2, 4 (FIG. 1). As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the distance L between the apertures in the spout is greater than the distance I between the pin pairs, and similarly the distance between the print where the groove between the two frame members for the upper part of the tube meets the chamber 26, and the point where the groove between the two frame members for the lower part of the tube meets the chamber 26 is less than the length of the floating section 25 of the tube between these points. The pins 21 and the adjacent parts of the two frame members between the spigot 11 and chamber 26 define an upstream supporting means for the tube, and the pins 22 and the adjacent parts of the two frame members between the chamber 26 and the lower exterior of the dispenser define a downstream supporting means for the tube.

Disposed on one side of frame 1 'is an actuating mechanism 29 comprising a drive lever 30 pivoted around a pivot 31. The left-hand end of lever 30 in FIG.

l is connected to one end of a tension spring 32 the other end of which spring is connected to a lug on the frame. The spring tends to rotate lever 30 anticlockwise in FIG. 1. At its right-hand end lever 30 has a handle (not shown). At its centre the lever 30 has a downwardly extending arm 30a on which are mounted an upper pressing roller 33 and a lower pressing roller 34 received in the chamber 26 on opposite sides of the floating section of the tube 12.

When the lever is in its normal position as shown in FIG. 1, the bottom roller 34 which bears against the tube 12 pulls the floating section 25 thereof to the right so that the spout has two consecutive oppositely directed bends. One of these bends is a bend a of substantially 90 formed over a ridge 35 between the downstream supporting means and a bearing surface 36 substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the tube passes through the downstream supporting means. The other of these bends is a bend 34a of rather more than 90 over the lower roller 34. The tube is flattened over the region between the roller 34 and ridge 35 as well as at the roller 34 and the latter ridge, to provide a seal at the lower end of the tube.

A major portion of the tube extends in a straight line from the upstream supporting means (which meets the chamber 26 at a point substantially in line with the axis of the tube as it passes through the downstream supporting means, i.e. substantially vertically above the downstream supporting means) to the roller 34 said major portion being inclined with respect to the normal to surface 36 and sloping from the upstream supporting means towards surface 36 and away from the axis of the downstream supporting means. The groove between the two frame members above chamber 26 curves towards the chamber 26 so as to extend in the same direction as said major portion in the position of FIG. 1, where the latter groove meets the chamber 26 so that in the position of FIG. 1 the upper end of the tube is not sealed by any sharp bends and in consequence due to the pressurising effect of the cover 9 on the fluid in the bag 8 the major portion of the floating section of the tube above the roller 34 is inflated by the pressurised fluid from the bag 8.

When the lever 30 is moved in the direction indicated by an arrow F, the bottom roller 34 disengages from the tube 12 and passes into a slot extending from the chamber 26 to the rear of the frame. Despite the withdrawal of roller 34, the tube 12 still stays closed at its lower end, since the inflated major portion of the floating section, due to its increased stiffness resulting from its inflation, then forms an inclined thrust member bearing at the bottom on horizontal surface 36 of the frame, so that the spout remains with its two oppositely directed bends.

During continued movement of the lever 30 the upper roller 33 abuts the top part of the floating section as shown in FIG. 3, the further movement of the lever causes the roller 33 to begin to move upwardly and towards the rear of the frame to begin to draw a loop of the tube around the roller 33 upwards into a recess in the wall of the chamber adjacent the upstream supporting means, the latter recess extending above the level at which the groove of the upstream supporting means enters the chamber. The tube is thus flattened and sealed adjacent the upper end of the floating section by two oppositely directed bends, one around a ridge 36' between the chamber wall and the upstream supporting means and the other around the roller 33. The batch of fluid within the major portion of the floating section 25 is thus sealed off from the bag 8 and this occurs while the lower end of the floating section is still sealed. During further movement of the lever the roller 33 moves the loop of tube therearound further upwardly into said recess raising the part of the free section containing the batch of fluid, as shown in FIG. 4, so that the two bends at the lower end of the floating section 25 are opened out removing the seal at the lower end of the free section to allow the batch of product in the inflated part of the tube to discharge downwards towards the outlet end 12b of the tube.

Further movement of the lever and hence of roller 33 stretches the greater part of the portion of the floating section 25 between the roller 33 and the downstream supporting means over a curved surface 38 of member 2, defining part of chamber 26, to completely empty the spout through its outlet end by flattening out the tube, the final position being shown in FIG. 5.

The surface 38 is formed as a gradual convex curve extending from said recess, at its upper end, to the upper edge of the slot which receives the roller 34, at its lower end, the axis of the tube where it passes through the downstream supporting means being substantially tangential to the surface 38 at the lower end of the latter surface.

During movement of the lever 30 in the reverse direction under the influence of the spring 32, roller 33 first releases the top of free section 25, whereafter roller 34 engages the free section 25 bending it over the ridge 35 to seal the lower end of the free section, and during further return movement pulls the upper end of the free section out of said recess so that as the lever 30 returns to its initial position the portion of the free section above the roller 34 is inflated by a further batch of fluid from the bag 8.

It will be appreciated that the configuration of the loop of the tube extending into said recess is such that a seal is maintained between the upstream supporting means and the portion of the tube lying on the surface 38 during return movement of the lever, at least until such time as the roller 34 has sealed the lower end of the free section. The arrangement is preferably such that the pressure of the fluid within the tube passing through the upstream supporting means tends to bend the floating section 25 even more sharply adjacent its upper end, thus enhancing the seal adjacent its upper end until such time as the roller 34 has begun to pull the loop out of said recess. Thus no inadvertent dispensing of fluid can take place during return movement of the lever 30.

A single actuation of lever 30 therefore causes a predetermined quantity of product to be dispensed; the quantity can vary according to the shape of the passage 15 in the spout.

It is contemplated that fluid to be dispensed will be supplied in packs each comprising a bag 8, already filled, with the spigot 11 and tube already fitted, the tube being sealed at its outlet end by the part 16 (FIG. 2).

To fill the dispenser the screws 5 are undone and the two frame members 2, 4 are disengaged from one another and the full bag 8 is placed in position for example in the frame member 4, together with its still closed tube 12, the pins 21, 22 engaging in the apertures 18, 19 in the tube edge zones and the tube passing over roller 33 and under roller 34. The frame member 4 is then fitted on the frame member 2 and secured thereto by the screws 5 and the cover 9 placed on top of the bag. The tube bent by the roller 34 is therefore kept closed by the bend or fold 35a so that the tube end part 16 which extends below the lower end of the frame can be cut without risk of discharge of the fluid from the bag 8.

In the embodiment described the rollers 33, 34, do not roll along the spout, the Wear thereof being negligible. Also, the resistance of the inflated straight part of the tube to collapse increases in proportion as the pressure in the storage bag and in the tube is higher, and so the tube bottom part bearing on the surface 36 always stays closed, in the normal position of the dispenser.

Forming the tube of two overlapping flexible sheets welded or stuck together is a means of giving the spout very good sealing tightness by means ofjust a single approximately right-angled fold such as the fold formed on the ridge or edge 35. Since the latter fold is near the outlet end of the tube, the amount of product downstream of the fold is always very small, thus obviating trickling in the normal position of the dispenser.

In variants, the storage reservoir for fluid can be loaded by spring means rather than by a weight. Furthermore the reservoir can be formed by a recess in the frame itself instead of by a separate bag, in which event the flexible tube is connected to the reservoir by means providing the required sealing tightness.

Tests have shown that, in a variant of the apparatus shown, the bottom roller 34 can be omitted without impairing operation.

ln this variant the floating section of the tube begins to inflate with fluid from the reservoir as soon as the roller 33 ceases to pull the floating section upwards, the inflated portion being sealed at its lower end by oppositely directed bends formed automatically as the inflation proceeds. The absence of bottom roller 34 enables the bottom part of the frame to be of stronger construction, since space for the movement of roller 34 need not be provided, and enables the apparatus to be simplified.

The floating section of the spout can be retained at its ends by means other than the pins specified, eg the spout can be clamped by its edges between the two frame members.

In a further varient, the dispenser can comprise mechanical or electrical pr pneumatic means for remote operation of the lever 30.

Being so simple, the apparatus shown is of use in many dispensing facilities used for foods and for cleaning products such as liquid soap.

it is also of use with advantage for the distribution of gaseous products, the sealing tightness provided by the fold or folds in the spout being satisfactory for gases as well. Preferably, the storage bag and spout are replaced at every refill, thus ensuring that the apparatus remains very clean.

I claim:

1. A fluid dispenser comprising a source of fluid under pressure, a flexible flattenable tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, a support for said tube, means connecting the inlet end of said tube with said fluid source, said support including upstream and downstream support means supporting said tube between its inlet and outlet ends, the tube being fixed by said upstream support means at a position between the inlet end thereof and the downstream support and the tube being fixed by said downstream support means at a position between the upstream support means and the outlet end of the tube, the section of said tube between the upstream and downstream support means constituting a floating section of the tube and being of a length greater than the spacing between the upstream and downstream support means, said support defining a space between said upstream and downstream support means to accommodate movement of the floating section of the tube, and operating means operable to move the floating section of the tube between a first position in which said floating section forms a major portion inflated by the fluid from said source and extending from the upstream supporting means to a seal formed adjacent the downstream supporting means by a sharp bend in the tube causing the latter to flatten, and a second position in which said floating section forms a major portion extending from said downstream supporting means into said space without sharp bends so that its interior is in communication with said outlet end, and terminating adjacent the upstream end in a seal formed by a sharp bend in the tube causing the latter to flatten, the operating means acting during movement of said floating section of the tube from its first to its second position to bend the latter sharply to seal the tube adjacent the upstream supporting means before the portion of the floating section adjacent the downstream supporting means is unsealed and acting during movement of said floating section from its second to its first position to bend the tube sharply to seal is adjacent the downstream supporting means before the portion of the floating section adjacent the upstream supporting means is unsealed whereby a predetermined quantity of fluid is dispensed at each operation of said operating means.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 in which said support includes a bearing surface partly defining said space, said bearing surface being adjacent said downstream supporting means and substantially perpendicular to the direction in which said tube passes through said downstream supporting means, said inflated major portion of said floating section in said first position thereof extending from said upstream supporting means towards said bearing surface in a direction inclined at an angle to the normal to the latter surface and sloping away from said downstream supporting means, so that the floating section passes through a first sharp bend of more than from the end of said major portion to said bearing sur f ace and extends aloiig said bearing surface in a flat condition from said first sharp bend to said downstream supporting means where it passes around a second sharp bend in the reverse direction to pass through said downstream supporting means.

3. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein said operating means includes a member which when the operating means is operated to move said floating section from its first to its second position engages the floating section adjacent said upstream supporting means and pulls a loop thereof away from the plane of said bearing surface to a position further removed from the latter plane than said upstream supporting means thereby to eliminate said first and second bends.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 in which said operating means comprises two members movable as one, and disposed on opposite sides of said floating section, one of said members being disposed adjacent said downstream supporting means and engaging the floating section to move it from its said second to its said first position and the other of said members being disposed adjacent said upstream supporting means and engaging the floating section to move it from its said first to its said second position.

5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said support provides an extended surface extending from a position nearer to a position further from said downstream supporting means and said operating means is arranged when said floating section is in its said second position, to stretch the major portion of said floating section, extending upstream of said downstream supporting means, over the last mentioned surface to expel the fluid from said major portion to the outlet end of the tube the portion of said surface nearer said downstream supporting means being substantially tangential to the axis along which the tube passes through said downstream supporting means and said surface being of such a form that said major portion is not flattened completely until the fluit has been expelled therefrom.

6. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said tube comprises two flat flexible strips sealed along edge portions thereof.

7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said operating means includes a movable member which, when the operating means is operated to move said floating section from its said first to its said second portion. engages the floating section adjacent said upstream supporting means and in cooperation with the latter. deforms it to form two oppositely directed bends in said free section adjacent said upper supporting means. 

1. A fluid dispenser comprising a source of fluid under pressure, a flexible flattenable tube having an inlet end and an outlet end, a support for said tube, means connecting the inlet end of said tube with said fluid source, said support including upstream and downstream support means supporting said tube between its inlet and outlet ends, the tube being fixed by said upstream support means at a position between the inlet end thereof and the downstream support and the tube being fixed by said downstream support means at a position between the upstream support means and the outlet end of the tube, the section of said tube between the upstream and downstream support means constituting a floating section of the tube and being of a length greater than the spacing between the upstream and downstream support means, said support defining a space between said upstream and downstream support means to accommodate movement of the floating section of the tube, and operating means operable to move the floating section of the tube between a first position in which said floating section forms a major portion inflated by the fluid from said source and extending from the upstream supporting means to a seal formed adjacent the downstream supporting means by a sharp bend in the tube causing the latter to flatten, and a second position in which said floating section forms a major portion extending from said doWnstream supporting means into said space without sharp bends so that its interior is in communication with said outlet end, and terminating adjacent the upstream end in a seal formed by a sharp bend in the tube causing the latter to flatten, the operating means acting during movement of said floating section of the tube from its first to its second position to bend the latter sharply to seal the tube adjacent the upstream supporting means before the portion of the floating section adjacent the downstream supporting means is unsealed and acting during movement of said floating section from its second to its first position to bend the tube sharply to seal is adjacent the downstream supporting means before the portion of the floating section adjacent the upstream supporting means is unsealed whereby a predetermined quantity of fluid is dispensed at each operation of said operating means.
 2. The dispenser of claim 1 in which said support includes a bearing surface partly defining said space, said bearing surface being adjacent said downstream supporting means and substantially perpendicular to the direction in which said tube passes through said downstream supporting means, said inflated major portion of said floating section in said first position thereof extending from said upstream supporting means towards said bearing surface in a direction inclined at an angle to the normal to the latter surface and sloping away from said downstream supporting means, so that the floating section passes through a first sharp bend of more than 90* from the end of said major portion to said bearing surface and extends along said bearing surface in a flat condition from said first sharp bend to said downstream supporting means where it passes around a second sharp bend in the reverse direction to pass through said downstream supporting means.
 3. The dispenser of claim 2 wherein said operating means includes a member which when the operating means is operated to move said floating section from its first to its second position engages the floating section adjacent said upstream supporting means and pulls a loop thereof away from the plane of said bearing surface to a position further removed from the latter plane than said upstream supporting means thereby to eliminate said first and second bends.
 4. The dispenser of claim 1 in which said operating means comprises two members movable as one, and disposed on opposite sides of said floating section, one of said members being disposed adjacent said downstream supporting means and engaging the floating section to move it from its said second to its said first position and the other of said members being disposed adjacent said upstream supporting means and engaging the floating section to move it from its said first to its said second position.
 5. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said support provides an extended surface extending from a position nearer to a position further from said downstream supporting means and said operating means is arranged when said floating section is in its said second position, to stretch the major portion of said floating section, extending upstream of said downstream supporting means, over the last mentioned surface to expel the fluid from said major portion to the outlet end of the tube the portion of said surface nearer said downstream supporting means being substantially tangential to the axis along which the tube passes through said downstream supporting means and said surface being of such a form that said major portion is not flattened completely until the fluit has been expelled therefrom.
 6. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said tube comprises two flat flexible strips sealed along edge portions thereof.
 7. The dispenser of claim 1 wherein said operating means includes a movable member which, when the operating means is operated to move said floating section from its said first to its said second portion, engages the floating section adjacent said upstream supporting means and in cooperatioN with the latter, deforms it to form two oppositely directed bends in said free section adjacent said upper supporting means. 